It's a beautiful city (my favourite in the US) - just put on some comfortable walking shoes and go and explore (particularly Russian Hill, Nob Hill, The Presidio, Marina, Pacific Heights, Haight Ashbury, Twin Peaks...). A stroll up to the Coit Tower at the top of Telegraph Hill will afford a stunning view of the city and the bridges.
If you have time some of the towns across the bay are worth a visit too eg. Sausalito, Berkeley.
You need to have your wits about you in some areas (eg. Tenderloin) but it's more uncomfortable than dangerous (the city's liberal politics have led to more of a laissez-faire attitude to tramps/panhandlers etc. than other cities like NYC).
Re: Alcatraz...not sure if they're still doing the 'behind the scenes' tours (usually the last one of the evening I think)...if they are, then that was brilliant, as you get to see parts of the rock not usually open during the day....
Am in NYC from Saturday for 8 days...apart from a Broooklyn Brewery tour and a visit to 'Top Hops' bar, I have nothing planned and am looking forward to just having a wander as haven't been for 5 years...
you have got to have breakfast at dotties true blue café, google it . the best breakfast you will ever have. ps bring me a mug back my wife just broke hers
I went back in May 2014 for 5 days was such an amazing city. Wine tour to napa, Alcatraz and a day trip to Yosemite National park are highly recommended to do. Just make sure your fit and healthy as walking around the city is hard with the hills lol.
Lucky you (if the weather is clear). Everything said by others (particularly a boat trip in the bay and under the bridge, and a visit over the bridge to Sausalito). A special mention for Lombard Street - the crookedest road in the world. Get there via cable car.
Was there in August - Alcatraz is a must. If you go there and you see that there is a presentation or talk on during your trip attend it. Listen closely, ask questions - show interest. We did that - a Park Ranger (Alcatraz is a National Park) - was giving a talk on Political Prisoners at Alcatraz - we were the only ones interested and interacting with him, the other tourists wandered off to the gift shop soon after he started. He was so happy with us for listening and respecting his talk, that he gave us a private tour of all the areas of the jail that are closed to the public - was incredible.
Did a tour of the west coast in the summer. San Fran is a great place, stay near union square and can pretty much walk everywhere. If there over a weekend head to presido park on a Sunday afternoon, street food inspired event held every week 1-4pm (off the grid) with good views of golden gate and great way to chill with locals (family friendly), fishermans wharf is good for an afternoon. Anchor brewery worth a tour and loads of fantastic pop up bars, restaurants and gallery's across the city. If can go see the 49s or the giants American live sports are such a spectacle. Unfortunately I couldn't during our stay but luckily caught the chargers in San Diego. Napa valley is lovely for a few days, as is Monterrey and camel a fairly short drive away.
You'll have an amazing time, we went end of August September time and weather was lovely, lots of people we met said we'd visited st best time of year temperature and 'busyness ' time. Still couldn't get any last min tickets to Alcatraz, if you want to visit it tickets generally sell out months ahead so book up very early!!
This thread is a bit of a touch, heading out to LA, San Fran, Sacramento then Vegas on Saturday, will try and check a few things out recommended here.
Avoid LA is my only advice, the worst city I've ever been. If you have to stay there for whatever reason just stay in Santa Monica. Hollywood is horrendous, rodeo drive is no better or more exclusive than Bluewater, Beverly hills boring, traffic worse than Dartford crossing at rush hour Friday night but all the bloody time you won't feel safe anywhere and worst of all wherever you go it will feel like you're in a never ending q for x factor where every contestant is off their head on crack.
This thread is a bit of a touch, heading out to LA, San Fran, Sacramento then Vegas on Saturday, will try and check a few things out recommended here.
Avoid LA is my only advice, the worst city I've ever been. If you have to stay there for whatever reason just stay in Santa Monica. Hollywood is horrendous, rodeo drive is no better or more exclusive than Bluewater, Beverly hills boring, traffic worse than Dartford crossing at rush hour Friday night but all the bloody time you won't feel safe anywhere and worst of all wherever you go it will feel like you're in a never ending q for x factor where every contestant is off their head on crack.
Spend about a month a year in LA and it is about as far removed as Dartford as you can get - IF you go to the right areas. Thats the key bit.
Head to the Orange County beaches as opposed to the LA County ones - 45 mins south on the interstate. Santa Monica is my least favourite beach town - try Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach instead. Or if you want to stay closer to LA, head 15 mins north to Malibu. Or stop off at Santa Barbara.
Would argue that Rodeo Drive has more Ferraris, Bugattis and Lambo's than Bluewater, and less 15 year old chavs in dodgy tracksuits though....
Scruffles raises good points about some of downtown LA. Totally agree on Hollywood being a dump. But thats no different to some areas of London. Take a Californian to New Cross on a Friday night and they will be wondering where the bright lights of the west end are.
As for the traffic, stay off the 405 in rush hour, as well as the Sepulveda Pass (where it passes through the Hollywood Hills). You will lose a day of your holiday there.
Agree Santa Monica is nice (every other person appears to be a Brit) but Venice Beach is more of a Californian experience. Carmel is a nice place to visit for an afternoon and Monterey is great. Several good pubs showing the footie. I think the Sardine Factory right on the front is good. When I walked in there a few years ago I found the guy running it used to be the governor of a Paddington pub I used to frequent.
I live 25 east of SF in a place called Walnut Creek. You won't get the micro climates this time of year. That's true in the summer months but not now. Daytime temps now are about low to mid 60's but the rain is starting to come in. I think you'll have pretty much clear days though as the weather is still pretty settled.
The 'good' places to see have been pretty much covered. If you have a car and a couple of days spare a good thing to do is to take hwy 1 South down the coast from SF. Through Half Moon Bay (where all the Mavericks surfing takes place) and down to Santa Cruz. You could even go a bit further down to Monterey and Carmel. Beautiful scenery.
It depends what you like but there's plenty to do.
By the way, usually this time of year the crab at Fisherman's Wharf is in season and is fantastic. Unfortunately this year there is some sort of blight so you may be out of luck.
Been there a few times. Can't add much, but I spent a pleasant couple of hours sitting in the Rogue Ale House near Washington Square Park. Was a good place to watch the world go by. Good beer. Can't vouch for the food
I live 25 east of SF in a place called Walnut Creek. You won't get the micro climates this time of year. That's true in the summer months but not now. Daytime temps now are about low to mid 60's but the rain is starting to come in. I think you'll have pretty much clear days though as the weather is still pretty settled.
The 'good' places to see have been pretty much covered. If you have a car and a couple of days spare a good thing to do is to take hwy 1 South down the coast from SF. Through Half Moon Bay (where all the Mavericks surfing takes place) and down to Santa Cruz. You could even go a bit further down to Monterey and Carmel. Beautiful scenery.
It depends what you like but there's plenty to do.
By the way, usually this time of year the crab at Fisherman's Wharf is in season and is fantastic. Unfortunately this year there is some sort of blight so you may be out of luck.
Enjoy your visit.
We had a week in Santa Cruz in August - actually stayed in the mountains behind the City in a town called Felton was the stomping ground of some of the worst serial killers of the 70s (Herbert Mullen & Edward Kemper) - we didn't know this when we booked!! Then in San Francisco we stayed a couple of blocks from where quite a few of the Zebra killings took place & just a few doors up, on the same street where the Symbionese Liberation Army hid Patty Hearst. Fascinating & gruesome in many ways history around San Fran - this is a great book to really get a feel for the recent history of the city
Hire a car in SF and head south on the PCH (aka Highway No 1) to Santa Cruz, Monterey, 17-Mile Drive and Monterey. Should be a comfortable day out.
Try to avoid parking in SF Hotels if you can. We paid USD50/night a couple of years ago.
you can avoid having a car full stop i think, we were near the Panhandle - so a little way from downtown & found the public transport really good & easy to get around - parking is an absolute nightmare around the touristy parts of the city...
Mrs Plum wants to go shopping, is there anything generally cheap in America, and do non specialist eating places cater for vegetarians?
Seth
Down the bottom of Manhattan - close to where the twin towers used to be - is a shop called Century Twenty One. Well worth checking out for Mrs Plum. There are several floors of label clothes sent by the major stores from uptown after their "season" has ended - at just a fraction of their original retail price.
Have a great trip. My favourite spots. Have a drink upstairs in the bar at Grand Central Station. A stroll in Central Park is very pleasant and 5th Avenue isn't far away. Poke your nose into Tiffany's and Saks. Times Square after dark. The museums take a fortnight to look round but the Guggenheim is good and very original in its layout. Take in a show on Broadway - there is a kiosk in Times Square where you can buy cheap tickets for shows on the day. ABC is a store off Union Square with several floors selling just about everything - good restaurants too - and if you are pressed for time a trip to ABC will satisfy just about every interest. The Christmas Show at Radio City MusicHall will be on. Basically a kids show perhaps but spectacular and the dancing was great.
Alcatraz thoroughly recommended - stick headphones on and do the audio tour, it's good. Went in June, was sold out for a week, but about 50 tickets go on sale each day at 7am. Early start tho - I got down there at around ten to six and already about thirty in the queue. Bring a coat!
Comments
If you have time some of the towns across the bay are worth a visit too eg. Sausalito, Berkeley.
You need to have your wits about you in some areas (eg. Tenderloin) but it's more uncomfortable than dangerous (the city's liberal politics have led to more of a laissez-faire attitude to tramps/panhandlers etc. than other cities like NYC).
Am in NYC from Saturday for 8 days...apart from a Broooklyn Brewery tour and a visit to 'Top Hops' bar, I have nothing planned and am looking forward to just having a wander as haven't been for 5 years...
google it . the best breakfast you will ever have.
ps bring me a mug back my wife just broke hers
If there over a weekend head to presido park on a Sunday afternoon, street food inspired event held every week 1-4pm (off the grid) with good views of golden gate and great way to chill with locals (family friendly), fishermans wharf is good for an afternoon. Anchor brewery worth a tour and loads of fantastic pop up bars, restaurants and gallery's across the city. If can go see the 49s or the giants American live sports are such a spectacle. Unfortunately I couldn't during our stay but luckily caught the chargers in San Diego. Napa valley is lovely for a few days, as is Monterrey and camel a fairly short drive away.
You'll have an amazing time, we went end of August September time and weather was lovely, lots of people we met said we'd visited st best time of year temperature and 'busyness ' time. Still couldn't get any last min tickets to Alcatraz, if you want to visit it tickets generally sell out months ahead so book up very early!!
Head to the Orange County beaches as opposed to the LA County ones - 45 mins south on the interstate. Santa Monica is my least favourite beach town - try Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach instead. Or if you want to stay closer to LA, head 15 mins north to Malibu. Or stop off at Santa Barbara.
Would argue that Rodeo Drive has more Ferraris, Bugattis and Lambo's than Bluewater, and less 15 year old chavs in dodgy tracksuits though....
Scruffles raises good points about some of downtown LA. Totally agree on Hollywood being a dump. But thats no different to some areas of London. Take a Californian to New Cross on a Friday night and they will be wondering where the bright lights of the west end are.
As for the traffic, stay off the 405 in rush hour, as well as the Sepulveda Pass (where it passes through the Hollywood Hills). You will lose a day of your holiday there.
outerlandssf.com
maven-sf.com
richtablesf.com
calacademy.org
vesuvio.com
Try to avoid parking in SF Hotels if you can. We paid USD50/night a couple of years ago.
The 'good' places to see have been pretty much covered. If you have a car and a couple of days spare a good thing to do is to take hwy 1 South down the coast from SF. Through Half Moon Bay (where all the Mavericks surfing takes place) and down to Santa Cruz. You could even go a bit further down to Monterey and Carmel. Beautiful scenery.
It depends what you like but there's plenty to do.
By the way, usually this time of year the crab at Fisherman's Wharf is in season and is fantastic. Unfortunately this year there is some sort of blight so you may be out of luck.
Enjoy your visit.
http://www.sfgate.com/books/article/Season-of-the-Witch-by-David-Talbot-review-3536031.php
Mrs Plum wants to go shopping, is there anything generally cheap in America, and do non specialist eating places cater for vegetarians?
Seth
Down the bottom of Manhattan - close to where the twin towers used to be - is a shop called Century Twenty One. Well worth checking out for Mrs Plum. There are several floors of label clothes sent by the major stores from uptown after their "season" has ended - at just a fraction of their original retail price.
Have a great trip. My favourite spots. Have a drink upstairs in the bar at Grand Central Station. A stroll in Central Park is very pleasant and 5th Avenue isn't far away. Poke your nose into Tiffany's and Saks. Times Square after dark. The museums take a fortnight to look round but the Guggenheim is good and very original in its layout. Take in a show on Broadway - there is a kiosk in Times Square where you can buy cheap tickets for shows on the day. ABC is a store off Union Square with several floors selling just about everything - good restaurants too - and if you are pressed for time a trip to ABC will satisfy just about every interest. The Christmas Show at Radio City MusicHall will be on. Basically a kids show perhaps but spectacular and the dancing was great.